CALGARY -- Moments after a disappointing CFL debut for quarterback Mike McMahon, a sliver of hope revealed itself for the Argos.

As one member after another of the well-beaten Argos made their way into the dressing room following a humbling 33-10 loss to the Calgary Stampeders, injured quarterback Michael Bishop emerged from the pack in street clothes.

But it was what he wasn't wearing that drew attention. Less than a week after surgery to repair a broken bone in his wrist, the cast that had previously encased the damaged forearm was no longer there.

A smiling Bishop revealed it was no longer necessary and then surprised his inquisitors with the revelation that he now expected to be back in uniform and guiding the Argonauts attack in four weeks, not the six-to-eight week timetable initially given.

"Aw man, I've known this since the day I had my surgery," Bishop said. "I told you guys. I'm a fast healer."

Coming immediately after such a demoralizing defeat in which the Argos offence -- minus its starting quarterback and its top two receivers -- looked as inept as it has in quite some time, Bishop's declaration served to take some of the sting out of the evening.

Bishop said he likely would be able to start throwing a ball again in a couple of weeks.

That has to be music to the ears of head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons, who less than two weeks ago felt he had finally settled his quarterback quandary, only to see Bishop go down with an injury a week ago Thursday at the Rogers Centre

There still is the matter of the next four weeks to get through before Bishop returns, with back-to-back inter-divisional games against Montreal next on the docket.

Clemons gave McMahon three full quarters to find his rhythm on Saturday before finally turning the game over to veteran Damon Allen for the final 15 minutes.

While Allen wasn't much more productive, he did engineer the only Argos touchdown of the game, albeit on the final series of the evening with the game out of reach.

Clemons did not want to make a hasty decision on who will be at the helm for this Thursday's home tilt with the Alouettes, but left the distinct impression that whatever patience he had with McMahon coming into Saturday's game with a Western Division opponent would not be at the same level against the Als.

Clemons cautioned it would be unfair to dump all of the baggage from Saturday's loss at McMahon's feet alone.

"The reality is we didn't do a whole lot well and sometimes it's the whole rhythm of the team and one affects the other," Clemons said. "We just have to look at the film and be honest and do it very quickly because we have another short turnaround."